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Meet our team

Our evidence-based methods have helped countless children overcome reading challenges and build a strong foundation for their future success. With decades of combined experience in the field of reading intervention, our team of specialists brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to every session. We are passionate about staying at the forefront of research and best practices in reading instruction.

KRISTY JONES

FOUNDER, MANAGING DIRECTOR & SENIOR READING SPECIALIST

Kristy graduated from Leeds University in 2008 and moved to Sydney, Australia accepting a role as the Head Research Assistant at the Department for Cognitive Science at Macquarie University working on a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) funded study lead by Professor Genevieve McArthur.

The focus of the study was to compare different reading and spelling treatment types for children with reading and spelling difficulties. Kristy has also contributed to other research studies related to reading and spelling, with publications in peer-reviewed journals, including being the lead author of ‘Different Subtypes of Developmental Reading Disorders’ co-authored by Professor Anne Castles and Dr. Saskia Kohnen.

From the hard work of those involved with the NHMRC-funded study, The Macquarie University Reading Clinic was established, and Kristy joined as a clinician while also studying for her Masters in Clinical Neuropsychology. In 2017 Kristy moved to Singapore and established ‘The Reading Specialists’ to continue helping those with reading and spelling difficulties. Kristy is licensed to use The Macquarie University Reading Clinic evidence-based synthetic systematic programs.

Over the years Kristy has worked with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, including university students and adults.
Connect with Kristy on LinkedIn.

NADIA ALI

READING SPECIALIST & OPERATIONS MANAGER

Nadia hails from Singapore and holds a Bachelor’s in Early Childhood Studies from Monash University. She trained in the Orton Gillingham Teaching Approach at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS).

With more than ten years of experience in early childcare and education, Nadia was more recently an educational therapist at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS). She has worked alongside children with various learning difficulties, such as Global Development Delay (GDD), Attention-Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), Cerebral Palsy and Dyslexia.

Nadia has always had a passion for educating young minds. From her early career as a preschool teacher, Nadia discovered her passion for helping children with learning and reading difficulties. She most enjoys seeing students develop and become confident readers through structured programs.
Connect with Nadia on LinkedIn.

DAWN KOESTER

PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT OFFICER

Dawn has more than 15 years’ experience in literacy research and instruction. She holds a first-class honours degree in psychological science (Deakin University, Australia) and obtained a Master of Science (Special Education/Reading Specialist majors) from the University of Oregon (USA). In 2009-2011, Dawn worked on Macquarie University studies evaluating the literacy intervention program MULTILIT in diverse environments across Australia. In 2015-2016, she provided research support for the development of the MOCCA reading comprehension assessment tool for educators.

Dawn has extensive experience providing individualised literacy instruction and fostering positive learning environments. She has served as learning support teacher and coordinator in public schools in Oregon, as well as an international school in Sweden. In these roles she has nurtured students of all ages with diverse learning profiles and needs. Dawn provides social-emotional and academic skills training, and she practices strengths-based approaches to instruction.

Dawn’s intervention philosophy is centred on student self-efficacy, self-determination, and emotional well-being. She is driven by a deep commitment to empowering all students to engage in literacy and learning to their full potential, using evidence-based systematic programs.
Connect with Dawn on LinkedIn.

LEE KOWEN

READING SPECIALIST

Kowen is a dedicated educator for dyslexic students with a fervent passion for educational equity and individualized learning. Holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Buffalo, Kowen has harnessed a deep understanding of cognitive processes and developmental psychology to support and empower students with dyslexia.

In his previous role as an Educational Therapist at the Dyslexia Association of Singapore (DAS), Kowen implemented tailored educational strategies for dyslexic learners. During his tenure, Kowen worked closely with students to create personalized intervention plans that addressed their unique learning needs and challenges. This role allowed Kowen to apply his expertise in psychology to practical, impactful solutions, enhancing the academic experiences and outcomes for many students.

Kowen’s work is characterized by a blend of empathy, expertise, and a steadfast belief in the potential of every student. Through collaboration with educators, parents, and specialists, Kowen believes that creating a comfortable and supportive learning environment is essential for student growth. In his classroom, he views failure not as a setback but as a fundamental part of the learning process. Mistakes are not met with judgment but embraced as opportunities for exploration and understanding. By fostering an inclusive atmosphere where students feel safe to take risks and learn from their missteps, he aims to nurture resilience, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning.

Our mission

Our mission is simple yet profound: to empower children to reach their full potential in literacy. We are dedicated to creating a nurturing and inclusive environment where every child’s unique needs are recognised and addressed with the utmost care and understanding.

Child-led approach

We understand that every child is unique, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to reading instruction. That’s why we take a child led approach to our interventions. We carefully assess each child’s strengths and weaknesses to tailor our instruction to their specific needs. Our approach ensures that children are actively engaged in their learning, making the journey to reading success enjoyable

PUBLICATIONS IN PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS

Ryan, N., Koester, D., Crossley, L., Botchway, E., Hearps, S., Catroppa, C., & Anderson, V. (2024.)
Delineating the impact of childhood traumatic brain injury (TBI) on long-term depressive symptom severity: Does sub-acute brain morphometry prospectively predict 2-year outcome? Neurolmage: Clinical, Volume 41, 2024, doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2024.103565

McArthur, G., Kohnen, S., Larsen, L., Jones, K., Banales, E., & Castles, A. (2015).
Sight word Training and Phonics training in children with dyslexia. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 48, 391-407.

McArthur, G., Kohnen, S., Jones, K., Eve, P., Banales, E., Larsen, L., & Castles, A. (2015).
Replicability of sight word training and phonics training in poor readers: A randomised controlled trial. PeerJ, 3, e922. doi:10.7717/peerj.922

McArthur, G., Eve, P. M., Jones, K., Banales, E., Kohnen, S., Anandakumar, T., Larsen, L., Marinus, E., Wang, H-C., & Castles, A. (2012).
Phonics training for English speaking poor readers (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 5. Art. No.: CD009115. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD009115

McArthur, G.,Kohnen, S., Larsen, L., Jones, K., Anandakumar, T., Banales, E., & Castles, A. (2013).
Getting to grips with the heterogeneity of developmental dyslexia. Cognitive Neuropsychology, 30, 1-24.

McArthur, G., Jones, K., Anandakumar, T., Larsen, L., Castles, A., & Coltheart, M. (2013).
The Test of Everyday Reading Comprehension (TERC). Australian Journal of Learning Disabilities,18, 35-85

McArthur, G., Castles, A., Kohnen, S., Larsen, L., Jones, K., Anandakumar, T., & Banales, E. (2011).
Phonics training for English speaking poor readers (Protocol). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 5, cd009115.

Jones, K., Castles, A. & Kohnen, S. (2011).
Subtypes of developmental dyslexia: Recent developments and directions for treatment. Acquiring Knowledge in Speech, Language and Hearing, 13(2), 79-83.

Jones, K., Castles, A. & Kohnen, S. (2010).
Subtypes of developmental dyslexia and the Dual Route Model. Learning Difficulties Australia Bulletin,42, 11-13.

COURSE MATERIAL

2016 Macquarie University – Cognitive Processes 1 (PSY 246)
Jones, K., Castles, A. & Kohnen, S. (2011). Subtypes of developmental dyslexia:
Recent developments and directions for treatment. Acquiring Knowledge in Speech, Language and Hearing, 13(2), 79-83.

2013 Victorian Department of Education – Learning Support Teachers
Jones, K., Castles, A. & Kohnen, S. (2011).
Subtypes of developmental dyslexia: Recent developments and directions for treatment. Acquiring Knowledge in Speech, Language and Hearing,13(2), 79-83.

2011 Tel Aviv University – Aviah Gvion
Jones, K., Castles, A. & Kohnen, S. (2011).
Subtypes of developmental dyslexia: Recent developments and directions for treatment. Acquiring Knowledge in Speech, Language and Hearing, 13(2), 79-83.

“Our daughter has anxiety and reading problems. She was very aware that she couldn’t read as well as the other kids in her class and it really knocked her confidence. She wouldn’t try to read words that had more than 2 letters. She would never raise her hand to answer questions, even if the teacher called upon her, she wouldn’t respond. She was getting learning support at school, but her learning support teacher said she needed extra help and recommended Kristy’s services.

Kristy and the learning support staff from school started corresponding and working together to help with my daughter’s literacy, and I was very impressed with the team effort. During her treatment we started noticing a difference in her reading at home, and she could read words with more than two letters. Her teacher said she was becoming more confident in class and wouldn’t be as shy with her peers. I don’t know where we would be without getting Kristy’s help. She’s been instrumental in helping our daughters reading and we couldn’t recommend her services more. She’s always been available to chat when I’ve had questions or concerns and helped put me at ease. She also helped put my daughter’s anxiety around reading at ease as well (although she still has anxiety it’s not around reading anymore).

We would highly recommend using Kristy’s services.”

“Over the past 6 months my 13 year old daughter has been receiving intensive tuition with Kristy twice a week. Kristy has built a strong rapport with my daughter, building her trust and confidence to face these literacy challenges together.

I like Kristy’s honesty and transparency. Finally I have a clear understanding on where my daughter is at and a pathway and program to move forward. Kristy manages expectations well with clear and regular communication updating me on my daughter’s progress and testing at the appropriate intervals.

I would highly recommend Kristy – in fact I wish we’d found her sooner!”

“Our daughter has anxiety and reading problems. She was very aware that she couldn’t read as well as the other kids in her class and it really knocked her confidence. She wouldn’t try to read words that had more than 2 letters. She would never raise her hand to answer questions, even if the teacher called upon her, she wouldn’t respond. She was getting learning support at school, but her learning support teacher said she needed extra help and recommended Kristy’s services.

Kristy and the learning support staff from school started corresponding and working together to help with my daughter’s literacy, and I was very impressed with the team effort. During her treatment we started noticing a difference in her reading at home, and she could read words with more than two letters. Her teacher said she was becoming more confident in class and wouldn’t be as shy with her peers. I don’t know where we would be without getting Kristy’s help. She’s been instrumental in helping our daughters reading and we couldn’t recommend her services more. She’s always been available to chat when I’ve had questions or concerns and helped put me at ease. She also helped put my daughter’s anxiety around reading at ease as well (although she still has anxiety it’s not around reading anymore).

We would highly recommend using Kristy’s services.”

“Over the past 6 months my 13 year old daughter has been receiving intensive tuition with Kristy twice a week. Kristy has built a strong rapport with my daughter, building her trust and confidence to face these literacy challenges together.

I like Kristy’s honesty and transparency. Finally I have a clear understanding on where my daughter is at and a pathway and program to move forward. Kristy manages expectations well with clear and regular communication updating me on my daughter’s progress and testing at the appropriate intervals.

I would highly recommend Kristy – in fact I wish we’d found her sooner!”

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